Multiplying-back for cameras.



PATBNTED NOV. 19, 1907.

w. ;G. YSECKLER.

' MULTIPLYING BACK FoRcAMERAs.

APPLICATION YILED KAB.. 9. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

, W. C. SECKLER.

MULTIPLYING BACK FOR CAMERAS.

APPLICATION FILED IAB.. 9. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET A2.

WIM/55.55 2

A TTORNE V5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MULTIPLYING-BACK FOR CAMERAS.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVINFIELD (l. SECKLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Marianna, in the county of Lee and State ofArkansas, have invented a new and useful Multiplying-Back for Cameras,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in photographingapparatus, and it has for its object to provide a multiplying attachmentadapted for application to an ordinary camera whereby the latter will becapable of effecting a plurality of exposures suitably positioned upon.a single sheet of sensitized material, enabling a number of smallpictures to be obtained by a series of exposures without the necessityof inserting sensitized material for each exposure` and exposures madein this Way may be developed and printed with the greatest facility andeconomy and, furthermore, it has for its object to provide a device ofthis character that may be reversibly attached to a small or hand camerain lieu of the usual focusing screen thereof.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out particularly in theclaims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is an elevation of a multiplyingattachment constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2represents a vertical section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the attachment viewed from the rear, a portionof the camera box being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe attachment. Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary section on line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

A multiplying attachment constructed in accordance with my presentinvention embodies generally a frame or support adapted to fit theordinary camera and provide a back therefor, the frame being providedwith suitable devices so arranged as to cooperate with the usual springsor catches emloyed onth ordinary hand or view cameras for holding efocusing screen in operative position, the attachment being interchangedfor the focusing screen, and on this frame is Speeicaton of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 9. 1907. Serial No. 361.509.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

mounted a slide which is arranged to operate in a plane parallel to thefocal plane of the camera lens and to move in both a vertical and ahorizontal direction, the slide carrying a suitable holder for thesensitized material and being also preferably provided with a focusingscreen in order that the views may be properly focused and positioned onthe sensitized material.

1n the present embodiment of the invention, the frame l is provided withan embossed portion 2 of a dimension corresponding to that of the insideof the camera box, and the edges of this embossed portion cooperate withthe camera back to position the frame thereon and provide a light tightjoint, the frame thus fitted to the camera box forming a back therefor.

Any suitable means may be employed for attaching the frame to thecamera, the devices employed in the present instance being adapted tocooperate with the catches employed on the ordinary hand or view camerasfor detachably holdirg the focusing screen in position and embodying aset of pins or projections 3 arranged to cooperate with the apertures 4in the free ends of the s ring catches 5, a set of four of the lattereing usually provided upon the camera for the purpose of holding theusual ground glass thereon, and in order to enable the attachment to bereversed relatively to the camera, it is preferable to provide a secondset of projections 6 extending at right angles to those first describedand adapted to coperate with the catches 5 when the attachment is givena quarter turn and then applied to the rear of the camera box, and thisWill enable the vieWs to be arranged either lengthwise or crosswise ofthe longer dimension for the negative.

The center of the embossed portion 2 is provided with an aperture 7preferably of a size corresponding to the size of the largest negativethe attachment is capable of receivin and into this aperature aredetachably fitted the reducing frames 8 held in position by buttons orother suitable devices 9 and each having an exposure opening 10 of asize equal to the size of the picture desired. 1t is generallypreferablethat the exposure openings employed should be of a size that is equallydivisible into the dimension of the sensitized material that is toreceive the exposures, the frames 8 being interchangeable for thispurpose.

' Camera,

At the top and bottom of the frame or support are provided a pair ofparallel guides 11 and 12 having longitudinally extending guideways 13and 14, and mounted to operate in these guideways is a carrier or slide15, the latter being capable of movement 1n a plane Iparallel to thefocal plane of the ens and movable in a directlon longitudinally andalso transversely of the guides 11 and 12.

1n order to guide the slide while moving in a direction longitudinallyof the guides, the slide is preferably provided with a set of grooves 16spaced according to the number of rows of views that it may be desirable-to produce on the negative, and co erating with the appropriate grooveis a loc {ing bar 17 mounted on the upper side of the guide 11 andhaving slots 18 therein adapted to coperate with screws or projections19 on the guide 11, the slots having each a straight portion 2O adaptedto receive the projections when the bar is locked in coperative relationwith one of the grooves 16 and having a laterally turned portion 21adapted to receive the projection when the bar is reciprocated in onedirection, entrance of the projections into these laterally turnedportions of the slots permitting disengagement of the locking barrelatively to the grooves, and thus permitting the slide to be adjustedin a direction transversely of its grooves, so that the locking bar willcoperate with any groove of the set, as may be desired. The locking barmay be conveniently operated \manually by manipulation of the handle 22thereon.

In order to prevent the entrance of light between the slide and itssupport, it is preferable to rovide a suitable light excluding device,tlie latter embodying, in the present instance, a ring of felt 23fitting the walls of an aperture 24 formed in the slide and of a sizepreferably corresponding to the opening in the plate holder or otherrece tacle for the sensitized material, and this ring of felt is held inplace by a retaining ring 25 fitting within it. j

The attachment is adapted, of course, to receive sensitized materialinthe form of the usual glass plates or inthe form of the-well knownflexible film, and in the present instance 1 have, for convenience,shown the attachment as adapted to an ordinary plate holder 26, thelatter being arranged to fit flatwise against the rear surface of theslide and coperate with the rear edge of the felt ring 23 to excludelight from the plate when the usual curtain slide is withdrawn.

The plate holder is held in cooperative relation with the`slide by meansof a spring operated member, the latter, in the present instance, beingiitted with a ground glass in order that it may serve as a focusingscreen when the plate holder is removed, and this ceive'the projections29 on the frame 27.

rlhe action of-these springs normally tends to move the frame 27 towardthe slide 'with a yielding pressure, so that when the plate holder isinterposed between the parts it will be firmly supported in properrelation to the camera lens, and when the plate holder is removed, theground glass will automatically assume the position previously occupiedby the plate in the plate holder by reason of the movement of the frame27 toward the slide under the action of its springs 30, that is to say,when a plate holder is in position, the ground glass frame will operateto retain it in the focal plane of the camera lens, and when the plateholder is removed, the ground glass frame will automatically move intothe focal plane of the lens, so that the image when properly focused onthe ground glass will be also focused properly relatively to the platein the plate holder when the latter is applied to the slide.

The camera attachment constructed in accordance with the presentinvention may be readily adjusted and operated to effect any desirednumber of exposures on a single late; assuming that it is desirable totake t irtytwo pictures on the single plate, the locking bar 17 is recirocated until the projections 19 rest in the laterally turned portionsof its slots, the bar then being withdrawn from the grooves 16 so thatthe slide may be adjusted until the opening 10 occupies onethirty-second of the plate at one of its corners, an appropriatereducing frame having been previously inserted into the opening 7 havingan exposure opening 10 having a height equivalent to, say, one-fourth ofthe width of the plate, and a width of, say, one-eighth of the length ofthe plate. When the appropriate groove 16 has been selected, the bar 17is moved into locked position and the slide is shifted successively aseries of steps or intervals equivalent each to one-eighth of the lengthof the plate in a direction longitudinally of the guides 11, 12, anexposure being produced at each step. This will produce a row of eightexposures arranged in a direction lengthwise of the plate and covering astrip thereof equivalent to one-fourth of its area measuredtransversely.v The next row of exposures is provided for by unlockingthe bar 17, as previously described, and shifting the slide in adirection transversely ofthe guides 1 1 and 12 until the locking bar 17registers with the apl slidel'or the sensitized medium mounted topropriate groove 16 that will cause the shde l operate longitudinally etsaid guideways and to operate in a path while the reduced exposureopening 10 occupies a position close toward the center of the plate, andas the slide is shifted step by step in a direction longitudinally ofthe guides, a second row of light exposures will be produced, and athird row of exposures may be produced after the slide has been soadjusted that the appropriate groove registers with the locking bar 17.

Of course, it will be understood that the above is merely an exampleillustrating generally how a plurality of views may be obtained on asingle plate, and by providing a sutlicient number of grooves 16 andemploying a set of interchangeable reducing frames having suitably sizedapertures, almost any desired number of views may be obtained on aplate, from a full sized view, which is obtainable by omitting thereducing frame 8 to, say, thirty-two views, which has been foundpracticable in using a Alive inch by seven inch plate, and, of course,if desired, the number ol views may be further multiplied, it merelybeing necessary to provide additional grooves 16 for guiding .the slideand shifting the plate holder a shorter distance at each step betweenthe exposures.

In order to Vfacilitate the shifting of the plate holder at each stepfor the successive exposures, it is preferable to provide the slide withan appropriate scale for indicating the positions that the plate holdershould occupy at each step in producing a row of exposures, and such ascale is shown in the present instance, a pointer 32 on the guide 11coperating with the scale to indicate the proper position for the plateholder at each exposure.

A plate holder constructed in accordance with my present invention isespecially adapted for use in connection with the small hand or viewscameras, as distinguished from those used in studios, and the attachingdevices enable the device to be readily applied to the ordinary cameraswithout modication, employing the devices now used as an attachment forthe usual focusing screen, and the novel arrangement of the attachingdevices on the attachment enable the latter to be so applied to thecamera that the views may be arranged either lengthwise or crosswise onthe negative. Moreover, the attachment is very narrow measured fromfront to rear, and this 'facilitates its packing and enables it to beiitted into a case of very small dimensions, and danger of injury isminimized, while the simple construction of the device enables it to beconstructed at small cost` That is claimed is 1. In a multiplyingattachment lor cameras, the combination with a suitable support adaptedto be attached to a camera back and having guideways thereon, of aadjustable in a direc tion transversely thereto, and a device formaintaining the slide in given angular relation to the guideways whenthe slide in 'li'll'erent positions of adj ustm ent transversely el"said guideways, and for locking the slide in ditlierent positions of adjustinent transversely oi the guideways.

2. In a multiplying bach for cameras, the combination with a suitablesupport adapted to be attached to a camera and. having guidewaysthereon, of a slide for the sensitized material mounted to operatelongitudinally ol said gi,iiile^-.vays and capable or adjustment in adirection transversely thereto, and a retaining device cooperating vwiththe said slide tor guiding the latter in dilierent paths arrangedparallel to the guideways and capable oli maii'itaining the slide in agiven. angular relation to the guideways, and means l'or locking thesaid device in cooperative relation tothe slide.

In a multiplying bach for cameras, the

combination. with a suitable support adapted -niately equal to therangi` ol inoven'ient ol" the slide and adapted to cooperate with saidguiding 'portions lior insuring movement oli the slide in a series olipaths arranged in parallel relation and serving to maintain the slidesin a given angular relation to the path of movement,

4. In a multiplying attachment for cameras, the combination with asuitable support adapted to be attached to a camera and having guidewaysthereon, of a slide Afor the sensitized medium mounted. to operatelongitudinally of said guideways and having a series ol guiding groovesextending parallel to the guideways and suitably spaced transverselythereof, a bar cooperating with said grooves for guidingl the slide in aplurality of paths arranged in parallel relation and means for lockingsaid bar in cooperative relation with one of said grooves.

5. In a multiplying attachment tor cameras, the combination with asuitable support adapted to be attached to a camera and having guidewaysthereon, `of a slide adapted to carry a sensitized medium mounted tooperate longitudinally of the guideways and having a series of suitablyspaced guiding grooves formed thereon, and a locking member havingdevices for locking it in and out of cooperative relation with. saidgrooves ior guiding the slide in dillerent paths extending parallel tothe guideways.

6. 1n a multiplying attachment for cameras, the combination with asuitable support adapted to be attached to a camera and having guidewaysthereon, and a reducing frame iitted into said su port having a reducedexposure opening t erein, of a slide for the sensitized medium guided tooperate longitudinally of the guideways and capable of being adjusted ina direction transversely thereto, and a device movable transversely tothe plane of movement of the slide and of a length approximately equalto the range of movement thereof for guiding the slide in a series ofpaths extending parallel to the guideways.

7. In an attachment for cameras, the combination of a part adapted toreceive a plate holder, a focusing screen ada ted to engage in rear ofthe plate holder an retain the latter in coperative relation With theslide, said screen having a set of projections thereon, and a set ofsprings each attached at one end to a portion of the slide and havinglooped ends to coperate with the projections on the focusing screen andnormally o erating to move the screen toward the s ide.

8. In a multiplying attachment for cameras, the combination with a suport adapted to be attached to a camera, an a pair of horizontallyextending guideways arranged at the top and bottom of the support, of aslide adapted to carry the sensitized medium and capable of movementlongitudinally andk transversely of the guideWays, and aguiding devicemounted to reciprocate in a direction parallel to the guideWays andmovable transversely of the plane of movement of the slide andcooperating With the latter to guide it in a direction longitudinally ofthe guideWay and retain it in different positions of adjustmenttransversely thereof, and means for locking said bar in cooperativerelation With the slide.

9. In a multiplying attachment for cameras, the combination with asupport adapted to be attached to a camera, and apair of horizontallyextending guideWays arranged at the top and bottom of the sup ort, of aslide adapted to carry the sensitize medium and capable of movementlongitudinally and transversely of' the guideways and having a series ofsuitably spaced parallel guiding grooves thereon, a bar of a lengthapproximately equal to the range of movement of the slidelongitudinalljr of the guideways and movable laterally into and out ofengagement With the different guiding grooves on the slide, the 'barhaving slots thereon provided With portions extending longitudinally andthence laterally of the bar, and projections on a relatively fixed partof the sup ort and coperatingwith the slots ofthe sai bar for moving thelatter into and out of the guiding grooves of the slide as the bar isreciprocated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WINFIELD C. SECKLER.

l/Vitnesses:

E. II. MCMURRY, LARIMORE RoBiNsoN.

